Spy movies are perhaps the ultimate cinematic indulgence. If
you can suspend reality for a few hours, Jason Bourne, James Bond and other
fictional characters can provide a few hours of fun entertainment. These
escapist franchises overshadow the fact that espionage really does exist,
although in a form that would bore most people. Sometimes, the drama of real
foreign intelligence can be exciting. Bridge
of Spies, the true story of a New York lawyer and his involvement in one of
the biggest spy scandals of the past century is one of those rare exceptions
where reality is more interesting than fiction.

Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, a lawyer assigned to
defend one of the most hated men in America: Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance), a
Russian spy who was caught in New York City trying to steal secrets for the
USSR during the height of the Cold War. Even though defending the most hated
man in America puts a strain on Donovan’s wife (Amy Ryan) and family, Donovan
works hard to get his client a fair shake. After Abel’s conviction, Donovan
continues representation, all the way to the Supreme Court, where he
successfully avoids the death penalty.

In the meantime, a U.S. spy plane piloted by Francis Gary
Powers is shot down over the USSR. Powers survives the crash and is taken into
custody by the Soviets. Powers is quickly convicted of espionage and suffers
through months of torture before the CIA comes up with a plan to get him back.
That plan involves using Jim Donovan to broker a deal that would return Abel to
the Soviets in exchange for Powers. The deal takes place in Berlin at the
height of the Berlin Wall crisis, which ensnares a young American graduate
student named Frederic Pryor into an East German jail. Using his
problem-solving skills, Donovan also negotiates for Pryor’s release to be
included in the Abel-Powers exchange.

The drama comes to a head on two bridges between East and
West Germany, where the tense exchange is supposed to happen.

Bridge of Spies is
a wonderful drama from Steven Spielberg, who seems to have finally put his “blockbuster”
days behind him. It’s a good thing, since Steven shows a real knack for
historical dramas lately (Lincoln
being one of them). Spielberg is helped along by a collaboration with the Coen
brothers, who helped pen the brilliant script for Bridge of Spies.

When you add the acting prowess of Hanks, you get a
wonderful film about a time in the not-so-distant past; a time when nuclear war
was imminent and trust was low. Bridge of
Spies perfectly captures the mood and issues of the day, and provides cause
for reflection in a contemporary world where the threat of global war still
exists.